Growing Up Cursed
by infinityrose88
Summary: Our family is forever cursed to live between worlds, the live and the dead, the light and the dark. This is the story of how one princess, ANNA, lived both in a world of purity and light, and in darkness and hate.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A ten-year-old Anna Valerious looked out the window of her room onto a wintry scene. The houses of the village were caped in sparkling snow that glitters with the light of a thousand stars. People walked about in the streets dressed in their warmest clothes, greeting one another cheerily as they went about their business. Anna envied all of them, especially the children. They played in the snow, ran about in the streets and caused general havoc. Anna would give anything to be like them. She was always cooped up in the palace, training, eating and sleeping. That was her life. She shared this dismal fate with her two siblings, Velken and Celeste. And though it was better than having no company, she really couldn't relate to her moody and secretive older brother and immature pink loving little sister. She was crammed in the middle. Goody for her. "Hey, Dad is wondering why you're late squirt." Velken rudely strode into her room "Ever knock?" Anna turned on her sixteen-year-old brother. He laughed at her glare and plopped himself down on her midnight black comforter,  
"No, unless you haven't noticed I'm older." "Point?" Anna asked him angrily.  
"That means I'm smarter, stronger, and I have seniority." Velken smirked at her.  
"Get off my bed!" Anna shouted at him.  
"Make me squirt." Velken laughed at his little sister. Anna had, had enough. She launched herself at him fists flailing and shouting any curse she had ever heard a servant utter. Velken just continued to laugh at Anna and held her head so her thin arms couldn't reach his face. "What is going on in here?" An outraged voice came from the hallway. Within seconds Vanessa Valerious was in her daughter's room and separating her children. "Anna! What in God's name are you doing? And Velken, get off your sister's bed and stand up straight! One of you, explain what's going on." "Hebargedintomyroomandsatonmybedandmadefunofme!" Anna said quickly before Velken could get a word in. "Honey, slower." Vanessa raised an eyebrow at her eldest daughter. "He barged into my room and sat on my bed and made fun of me." Anna said slowly.  
"Velken, when will you learn not to make fun of your sister? You're going to need one another some day." Vanessa chided her son gently. "Yah, but"  
"No buts mister." Vanessa's tone was strict again, "Don't goad your sister into fighting you, you know you're stronger." "She swore." Velken pointed out. Vanessa's usually pale face tuned scarlet and she turned on her daughter,  
"ANNA MARIE VALERIOUS!" Anna shut her mouth with a snap and waited for her mother's anger, "How many times do I have to tell you not to swear? You are impossible! IMPOSSIBLE!!! A princess does not swear. Under NO circumstances. Do you hear me?" Anna remained silent, "I said do you hear me?" "No…" Anna mumbled.  
"Speak up." Vanessa snapped.  
"Yes." Anna said clearly.  
"Good." Vanessa nodded in approval. "Now Velken, tell your sister why you came into her room and be off." "Dad wants you to get to the training room, you're late." Velken said again and left the room. Anna followed her mother out and slammed the door behind her. "Don't slam doors Anna." Vanessa preached to her daughter as she walked away. Anna stomped all the way down the stairs and into the training room where Boris waited sitting in an oaken chair.  
"Anna, what's the fuss?" Boris asked his daughter kindly.  
"Mom yelled at me again." Anna pouted picking up the short rapier that was her favorite weapon. "What did you do this time?" Boris attempted to hide his smile.  
"I swore." Anna sliced through the air with the blade. "Anna. You know she hate's that." Boris reminded her.  
"Don't I know it." Anna's tone was bitter. "Your too young to sound like that Anna. You haven't lived yet, and when you've lived as long as me and seen what I've seen, then you can be bitter." Boris attempted to keep his tone warm, but his eyes were haunted. "Tell me a vampire story." Anna asked, calming down now that she was with her father and a sharp metal object was in her hand. "After training." Boris shook his head, clearing out the haunting memories. Anna nodded and got herself in a 'ready' position. Boris circled his daughter carefully, her steady gaze followed him, but she didn't budge an inch. Boris suddenly feigned right and sliced left, Anna's body reacted instantly, parrying the blow and moving with the impact. She was forced on the defensive parrying his blows that increased in force. Finally she sensed his rhythm and in between blows she jabbed the rapier at his side. Boris stepped back and turned, Anna had let her blade go too far, catching his sword on her hilt Boris quickly stripped Anna of her weapon. Placing his blade on her shoulder Boris announced,  
"Dead." "How did you…?" Anna began to ask but Boris interrupted her,  
"Take your weapon like that. It's an old trick. You catch the blade of your weapon on the hilt, and as you pull away wrench the weapon from your opponent's hands"  
"Oh." Anna picked her weapon up off the ground. "Can you teach me?" "Of course." Boris was delighted in Anna's skill and willingness to learn. He had no such luck with his youngest, Celeste. She was too dainty for swordplay, and not strong enough to wield a bow. Healing was her true calling. Ever since she was a toddler Celeste had a certain knack for making people feel better. After hours of practice Anna went up to her room and collapsed, exhausted onto her bed. "OWIE!" The bed squeaked and Anna immediately jumped up, noticing a lump under her comforter. Pulling back the black material she revealed her four-year-old sister, Celeste. "Hey! This is my hiding space, find you own"  
"Unless you haven't noticed this is my room." Anna rolled her eyes at her sister.  
"Here I come ready or not?" Vanessa's voice rang through the hallway.  
"Cover me!" Celeste shrieked, pulling the covers from Anna's hand and pulling them over he head. Anna sighed and sat in her desk waiting for her mother to appear. Vanessa popped her head into the room and said playfully,  
"I wonder if Celeste is in here. Hmmm," Vanessa pretended to look in Anna's closet, "No, not here." She turned to look under Anna's vanity, "Not here either." Soft giggles sounded from the lump in Anna's bed. "Hmmm, Anna have you seen Celeste?" "No." Anna's reply was short and to the point. Vanessa sighed and shook her head gently at her daughter. Anna was always like this, serious, never playful. "Huh…well then." Vanessa turned from Anna and looked under Anna's bed. More giggled sounded from the lump. "Well I guess she's not in here." Vanessa was about to walk out when she pounced on the lump and pulled the covers off. Celeste giggled like crazy,  
"You found me!" "You betcha!" Vanessa hugged her child warmly. "Your turn to hide!" Celeste announced throwing up her arms. "O.K, count in here up to ten alright?" Vanessa let go of Celeste and glided out of the room.  
"One, two three four five, six, eight…" Celeste turned to her older sister, "What comes after eight?" "Ten." Anna replied. "TEN! Ready or not here I come!" Celeste jumped off Anna's bed and ran out of the room. Anna shut the door behind her and grumbled,  
"I get no privacy around here!" 


	2. Images in the mirrors

Anna winced as her mother drew a golden comb through her curly locks. She was seated on the golden bench before her mother's great gilded mirror with a table full of makeup and other cosmetics. "Anna dear, you can fall out of a tree and break a bone and not wince at all, but you can't let me brush your hair without making faces and squirming." Vanessa laughed gently, pulling the brush one last time through Anna's bouncy chocolate colored hair. "You pull hard. "Anna complained rubbing the back of her head. "Your hair is so easily tangled." Vanessa ran her fingers through the newly brushed hair and stood up. "Do you want it completely up or partially"  
"Partially please." Anna requested. Tonight was New Year's Eve, and the celebration of the third hundredth year of Valerious reign over the gypsies. Vanessa worked with nimble fingers, looping and pulling at Anna's usually unruly locks until they were up, in a loose bun with cascades of curls falling from it. "How do you do that?" Anna admired her mother's handiwork, usually she just pulled her hair back in a ponytail or let it do whatever it wanted. "You'll learn eventually." Vanessa smiled and pulled Anna's crown out of its leather and velvet box. "Crown first then makeup, or the other way around"  
"How about no makeup?" Anna looked hopefully at her mother. Vanessa chuckled,  
"Yes makeup"  
"How come?" Anna crossed her arms defiantly. Vanessa sighed as Anna's stubborn streak showed. "Because this is a very important night for our family and you need to look your absolute best. And because I said so." Vanessa crossed her arms also, Anna had certainly gotten her stubborn streak from somebody, and it sure wasn't her father. "Fine. Makeup first." Anna grumbled. She didn't feel like fighting her mother. Not tonight at least. Vanessa moved with the skill of experience, giving Anna's eyes the shadowy look to go with her pale gold dress. She brushed Anna's cheeks lightly with blush and lined her eyes with dark brown. Pale gold/red lips were the finishing touch. "You look wonderful." Vanessa gave Anna a quick hug the placed the thin golden circlet around Anna's head. "There. The finishing touch." Anna had to admit she looked really good.

Her mother also looked spectacular, Vanessa's hair was the darkest black and extremely curly like Anna's. It cascaded over her shoulders with diamond studs sparkling in it, Vanessa's dress was of the purest white and her jewelry was glittering white gold. Vanessa had a slim figure and wasn't very tall, but she made up for her height with her beauty. Boris and Vanessa had met when they were children, growing up together, Vanessa had been a half gypsy and serving maid to the princess, Boris's sister. They had grown apart growing up and Boris had left to train in the Vatican for five years, when he had returned Vanessa was sixteen and he was seventeen. He was amazed at how she had grown and his strength and leadership took her heart. They were married a year later and Velken came soon after. "Mama! My turn!" Celeste ran in wearing her pink nightgown. Vanessa's dark green eyes twinkled merrily as she caught up her youngest child and swung her around.  
"Yes it is your turn. Anna dear, would you check on your father?" Vanessa turned to Anna. The princess nodded and left the room.

Heading to the next door, her father's room. Knocking first her father's voice sounded from within,  
"Come in." Anna entered the warm room and saw her father straightening Velken's cloak. "Anna, you look spectacular." Boris smiled at his daughter. "Is your mother getting Celeste ready?" "Yes, she wanted to know how you're getting along." Anna sat slowly in the large armchair near her father's fireplace. "We'd be getting along fine if Velken would just let me pin this on him!" Boris chuckled attempting to fasten Velken's cloak with a cloak-pin, but the prince constantly squirmed,  
"You're poking me." Velken complained.  
"Then stand still." Boris said simply. Anna hid her laughter and got up. "Mom could do it for you." She offered.  
"I want to do it myself thank you." Velken rolled his eyes and huffed like a typical teenager. "Fine." Boris let go and Velken took over. "There." Velken gave his father an impertinent look at he fastened the pin. "We're ready!" Vanessa announced, entering the room with Celeste behind her. The littlest princess twirled around the room in her lilac dress with a golden circlet like Anna's around her forehead. Celeste's straight black hair fanned about her head as the four-year-old imagined herself dancing at the ball. Boris walked over to his child and placed her on the tops of his shoes.  
"May I have this dance?" The old battle scarred king asked Celeste gently. "You may." Celeste said in her most courtly voice. Boris twirled around with her on his feet in a waltz. Vanessa clapped and complemented her daughter's dancing 'skills'. Anna clapped her hands to a waltz beat and even the temperamental Velken smiled. "We had better get downstairs." Vanessa commented after a while.  
"Yes, the guests will be arriving soon." Boris agreed letting Celeste down. Celeste ran to her mother and Vanessa picked her up. The royal family left the King's quarters and descended the stairs; standing by their front doors they greeted each guest personally.

The party was well underway and Anna was watching the guests curiously. She was not allowed off the palace grounds, and spent all her time preparing to take up her family's curse of killing Dracula. The grand ballroom was gorgeous and decorated with confetti and streamers. The dancing guests twirled around on the floor like brightly colored china dolls come to life. Anna recognized her mother and father in the center of the hall, her mother's white gown was easily recognized and her father had never looked happier. The extremely unique thing about the ballroom was that instead of paint or paper on the walls there were mirrors. Gigantic sheets of gleaming reflective glass made the hundred guests look like thousands. Anna had once asked her mother why the ballroom was covered in mirrors. Vanessa's face had gotten pale and she had turned away from Anna,  
_"To make the room look larger."_ The queen had said then she had turned back to Anna and continued their dance lesson. Anna had not been satisfied and asked her father later that day. He got a dark look on his face and had taken her to the ballroom and told her to stand in the middle. _"What do you see?"_ Boris had asked her motioning to the mirror in front of her.  
_"My reflection."_ Anna answered and gave her father a 'no-duh' look.  
_"Exactly. But vampires don't have reflections. If they sneak into a party we'll know instantly."_ Boris had informed his daughter roughly. He was always different when he spoke about vampires, more hostile. Anna had never really understood why, until her family's duty had been explained to her. That was the only night Anna ever rememberd her parents fighting.

_"She's just a child Boris!"_ Vanessa had shouted at her husband. Little Anna had pressed her ear to the wall, attempting to understand what was going on.

_"She's my child Vanessa! She had to learn what her destiny is!"_ Boris had shot back at her hostility laced his tone.  
_"She's my child too Boris. Haven't you ever heard of fighting fate? You may be just fine with condemning our daughter to a life in hell, but I'm not!"_ Vanessa had thrown something, it crashed against the wall Anna was pressed against. Anna rememberd that night and shivered.

"What's wrong little princess?" One of her father's personal guard asked her. He was out of armor and had a young lady on his arm. "Nothing Gregor." Anna responded curtly and walked to the punch table. "I wouldn't drink that if I was you squirt." Velken stood in front of her.  
"Why not?" Anna asked rolling her eyes.  
"I spiked it!" Velken got a mischievous grin on his face. "WHAT?!?" Anna freaked out dropping the glass she had been drinking from.  
"This party is so boring! I figure some people need to loosen up." Velken looked meaningfully at a group of giggling girls. Anna smacked her brother over his head harshly,  
"Your crazy aren't you?" "No, just bored." Velken rubbed the back of his head and as Anna tried to walk away her tripped her. Anna fell heavily, and suddenly there was Celeste,  
"Are you O.K Anna?" "Yah. But in a second Velken won't be." Anna hissed menacingly.  
"Anna!" Celeste said sternly in a tone mimicking their mother. Anna rolled her eyes and realized she would have to get her brother back later. The sisters walked out onto the dance floor and Anna taught Celeste a few new steps, but on a turn she noticed something odd, there was a man in all black drinking punch and talking with a redhead. On the next turn Anna realized they had no reflection. "Crap." Anna whispered. Vampires.


	3. Chapter 3

O...K...I just realized I havn't been using a disclaimer. So htis entire mini-chappie is devoted to the disclaimer. Trust me, not my idea. O.K, I DO NOT own Van Helsing. If I did this is what would happen,

1: I'd be realy rich.

2: I'd take over Europe (Don't ask how. I'll figure it out as I go.)

3: Take over the world.

4: Turn everybody into Van Helsing worsiping zombies! WOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!! Lucky for the world I do not own Van Helsing. Damn. 


	4. Anna meets Aleera

Sorry I havn't updated in a while, my life's been topsy-turvy nonstop. Geez the phrase topsy-turvy is wierd... anyhoo, plz review! Pretty, pretty please? By the way I don't own Van Helsing, if you want to see what would happen if I did read chapter three alright? IOnce again, I'm really sorry for not updatign in forever!!!!!!!!!

CH3:  
"Anna!" Celeste said shocked, "Language"  
"You'll have to yell at me later. Let's find Mom and Dad." Anna pulled her sister deeper into the dancing crowd. They found their mother and father quickly and Anna tugged on Boris's sleeve. "What's wrong?" Boris asked turning from Vanessa who got a worried look on her face.  
"They're here." Anna raised her eyebrows and motioned in the direction of the vampires.

"I'll get my men." Boris shoved his way harshly out of the ballroom. Vanessa knelt down and took Anna by the shoulders.  
"Get Celeste out of here and warn Velken." Vanessa whispered urgently.

"Get somewhere safe, don't come out until I find you." She released her daughter and went to warn the other guests. Anna took Celeste by the hand and went to search for Velken.

"What's going on?" Celeste whimpered, her mother's afraid tone had set the four-year-old on edge.

"We need to find Velken Celeste, O.K?" Anna tried to sound calm. Velken was still near the punch table and was flirting outrageously with three girls drinking the spiked juice.

"Velken!" Anna called urgently. Velken ignored her completely. Anna walked over and tugged on her bothers sleeve.

"Pay attention you idiot!"

"What do you want squirt?" Velken hissed at her.  
"Vampires. They're here!" Anna informed his roughly. Velken's eyes suddenly lit with the anticipation of a fight.

"Excuse me ladies." Velken smiled at the girls who giggled and wisped to one another.

"Drunken fools." Anna sighed rolling her eyes.  
"Vampires…" Celeste whimpered clinging to Anna's skirts. Anna knew Celeste hadn't had the 'destiny' talk yet, but she still understood vampires were dangerous. Anna gathered her sister in her arms and headed for the armory, she couldn't think of a safer place than a room full of weapons to fight with. If it weren't for her little sister Anna would be with her brother in a heartbeat, slaying vampires! The hallways were dark and within every shadow cast by the moon's silvery light there seemed to lurk her undead enemies. Celeste hugged Anna's neck tighter and whined in fear.

"Shhh, it's O.K." Anna comforted her sister. The door to the armory creaked loudly and Anna shut it quickly.

"Hello Anna." A musical female voice slithered through the night air. It was dark in the armory and Anna couldn't' see whoever, or whatever had spoken.

"Need light?" The voice asked again. The voice was friendly on the outside, but Anna heard he undertone, the wish to bring her and her family eternal torture. Suddenly the room was half lit by a single torch held in the hand of a beautifully inhuman woman. The woman had shining pale purple/pink eyes and flaming red hair.  
"Who are you." Anna asked, her voice was ragged with fear and she cursed herself. Celeste hung on Anna's neck tighter and shivered in terror. "Celeste. Choking me." Anna loosened her sister's arms.  
"So, these are the adorable daughters of Boris Valerious?" The woman cackled dangerously. Anna reached for the next available weapon, her hand met the handle of a throwing ax. She shifted the crying Celeste off her body gently and placed her on the ground.

"Run." She whispered to the frightened child. The Vampress just laughed and cut Celeste off at the door, her eyes flashed bright pink in delight.

"Surely Boris taught you better than that?" The creature smacked Celeste hard and the girl flew into a glass case.

"Celeste!" Anna screamed in terror and picked up her sister, placing her gently on a rug. "Monster!" Anna flew at the Vampress and attacked with all her strength. The monster just cackled and dodged. Anna felt the ax wrenched from her hand and it was flung into a table full of guns. He Vampress slammed Anna into the wall and held her there by her neck.

"My, my, you are a weak one aren't you?" She taunted, "Your father will be glad to have you disposed of. There is not room for weakness in your family." The creature's face began to change. The jaw lengthened and the teeth grew longer than Anna's forearm. Anna gave in to her fear and screamed loudly. Seconds later someone crashed into the armory and smashed off the end of the ax, so there was a jagged wooden end.  
"Leave this place now Aleera before I stake your heart." Vanessa's voice sounded from just behind Aleera. Aleera turned to see an angry Vanessa and a jagged piece of wood aimed at her heart.

"Hello Vanessa. Long time so see." Aleera dropped a choking Anna and turned to face the infuriated mother.

"Shut up Aleera. I'm giving you five seconds to leave." Vanessa glared straight into Aleera's pale unusual eyes. "Is that any way to treat an old friend?" Aleera asked sarcastically.  
"The day you become my friend will be the day the sky turns black." Vanessa clenched her jaw, "One"  
"I bid you adu." Aleera hissed and added, "I never leave a job unfinished. I will kill your daughters Vanessa count on it."

"Only when I breathe no more." Vanessa glared menacingly at Aleera. Aleera matched her gaze,  
"That could be arranged"  
"Go." Vanessa ordered. Aleera said no more she just spun on her heel and transformed. Anna had never seen such an ugly creature in her life. The monster darted toward the unconscious Celeste, but Vanessa had thought ahead, wrenching the white gold cross from around her neck she stepped in front of the poor child and held the cross out. Screeching in anger and pain Aleera flew from the room.

"Why didn't you kill her?!?" Anna asked her mother angrily.  
"Because, some things are much more important than killing your enemy." Vanessa looked at Celeste and Anna gently. Leaning over Celeste Vanessa inspected her wounds. "A terrible bump on her head, and he entire back is scratched up by glass. But she'll live." Vanessa gave a silent prayer to God and picked up Celeste gently. "Let's get her in bed."


	5. Darkest Corners of the Mind

Hi-ya! Sorry about the format could somebody please tel me how to turn off the stupid double space on this thing?!?!?!? Alrighty, down to buisness, no I do not own Van Halsing. (Only in my dreams which is a scary place to be in the first place.) ENJOY!

CH4:  
Vanessa smoothed Celeste's sleeping brow with a cool washcloth. Anna sat darkly in an armchair in the corner of the room. There was a hard knock and Velken entered the room looking murderous.

"They got away." He grumbled, taking a seat in the chair next to Anna's.

"Where is your father?" Vanessa asked, her voice was low and cracked from stress and worry.  
"He's trying to figure out where they went." Velken responded.  
"Oh." Was all Vanessa said in reply, but her green eyes flashed in annoyance, anger, and something Anna chose to ignore. The Queen rose and left the room, ordering, "Anna, keep that washcloth on Celeste's forehead. Velken, do not let anyone in this unless it is I or your father, or they bear a note from us." Anna took her mother's place by Celeste's side, gazing guiltily into her little sister's face. Vanessa threw her children one last protective glance before exiting slammign the door behind her.  
"I couldn't protect you." Anna's voice sounded foreign and harsh as she spoke.  
"You were up against Aleera. She's the nastiest of Dracula's whores." Velken comforted her. It wasn't usual she and Velken could get along so well, but they now shared a common worry. Celeste. "They're going to have a huge fight now." Velken continued referring to their parents.

"Don't you think Dad deserves it a bit?" Anna asked tentatively.  
"No!" Velken was taken aback and slammed his fist on the arm of his chair. "He was only doing our family duty! Mom had no right to be angry"  
"But Celeste could be dead right now, and he wouldn't even know it." Anna pointed out. "He didn't bother to come and see if she was O.K"  
"Anna, he was chasing the vampires. He does that to keep all of us safe! We would be dead if it weren't for what he does." Velken shot at her, his temper rising. Velken had always had a fierce family pride, he would defend his father's honor with his life. Anna ignored her brother's harshness and looked into Celeste's face. It was usually so full of life, but now the smile was gone, the bright hazel eyes were closed, and the light that had radiated from her was gone. In the moonlight Celeste looked more like a waxen doll than a human child. There was a knock on the door and Velken stood,  
"Who is it?"  
"Your mother and father." Vanessa's voice sounded from the other side of the door. Velken let them in, Anna noticed the red glow to her mother's face. She had been shouting, and from her father's blotchy skin and frown he had been too.

"Does she have a fever?" Boris asked, looking concerned at Celeste.  
"A small one. I'm just worried about the deep gash at the back of her head. Anna check the bandages, head wound's bleed a lot." Vanessa got straight to business again, rolling up her sleeves. Anna nodded and slipped a hand gently under her sister's head, pulling it back she saw her pale skin was stained with blood.

"It needs changing." She informed her mother.

"That's the third one." Vanessa's face clouded over and she ran over to the cabinet where she was keeping her medical supplies. Pulling out new linen strips to serve as bandages she ordered, "Flip her gently and hold her there Velken." The prince obeyed his mother, Anna stood back and allowed Vanessa to take her place. As Vanessa unwound the tight bloodstained bandages Anna saw the true extent of the wound, it was deep and ran the length of Celeste's head. Bloody and raw skin outlined the gash and a dark cracked scab was forming on the corners. Anan turned away in disgust and horror.

"I'll get those monsters for this!" Boris turned in anger to leave the room, but Vanessa's voice cut through the air like a knife,  
"Stop right there. For once in your life care more about the live people in your life than the undead ones."

A week had passed, and Celeste had finally opened her eyes, she seemed fine, but she could not remember how she had gotten hurt, or when it had happened. When she had asked her mother why Vanessa had said,  
"It is a blessing from God." Anna hadn't understood at first why it would be a blessing Celeste had lost a part of her memory, but after thinking for a while she had come to understand. Celeste would be one member of her family not to remember that horrible night. She would never have to sleep at night only to wake up screaming in a cold sweat, or feel chills running down her spine as she passed the armory as Anna did. That night replayed itself over and over in the darkest corridors of Anna's mind and she couldn't shake the feeling of weakness that crept over her body in idle moments. Now in the training room Anna had other things to focus on, such as destroying the dummy her father had set out for her. It was made of a metal pole sticking out of the ground with layer upon layer of thick burlap wound around it. Anna had spent hours upon end hacking at this thing, improving her endurance. All it was now was a scarred pole with a few scraps of material sticking to it, but Anna kept going. Every hit rang through her body and her hands were beginning to bleed. Anna couldn't feel it, her body was past the point of pain now, all that remained was sweet, sweet numbness.

"Anna, stop." She could barely hear her father's voice, it sounded far away, or under water. "Your working yourself to exhaustion"  
"So?" She stubbornly persisted in hacking at the metal pole.  
"Anna, this can't be good for that sword and it isn't good for your body. Take a break." Boris insister walking closer to her, Anna's vision swam with fatigue. "Anna Marie…" He didn't get a chance to finish, Anna collapsed and he caught her with a grunt.

Anna awoke in something soft and black,_ my bed_…she thought weakly. She tried to wipe some of her hair out of her eyes, but she realized her hands were wrapped thick with bandages.

"What did you think you were doing?" A sharp voice rang out from Anna's left side and she rolled over in her bed to see her mother glaring out the window.

"Uhhh..."  
"Honestly Anna, what do you hope to accomplish from driving yourself to the point of collapsing?" Vanessa persisted, but she would not look at her daughter. "You should know better."

"I thought..."  
"Well that's a surprise. You actually thought for once. You never think things through before you do them!" Vanessa wasn't letting up.  
"I just wanted to get stronger." Anna said, her own temper rising.  
"Oh, and just how do you suppose your going to get stronger by running yourself ragged? Do you think your of any use lying unconscious on the ground?" Vanessa turned to face Anna, though her voice was mad, her eyes were frightened and there were dark circles under her eyes. "Don't ever do that again Anna. Please." Vanessa's eyes went teary and she wiped them. Anna realized how worried her mother must have been, Celeste was wounded and lying in bed, and here Anna was suddenly collapsing.

"So she awakens?" Velken entered the room without bothering to knock. "Hi squirt"  
"Velken manners." Vanessa's strict tone hid the worried note only Anna could hear.

"I just came to tell Anna there was going to be a hunt in a month and if she got better she could go too." Velken rolled his eyes.  
"REALLY!" Anna sat up straight in bed, suddenly all her exhaustion was gone.

"But you must rest and not go jumping about like a frog if you want to get better." Vanessa reminded sternly.

"I will." Anna promised immediately settling back in her bed.

"Great twerp. I'll tell Dad to count on you coming." Velken said as he shut the door. Anna was tempted to use some of her 'sailor speech' on her brother, but Vanessa would have killed her.


	6. The First Hunt

Alrighty, sorry for the wierd symbol thingy, I'm currently working on the font, but somethings wierd and I'm technically challenged! Please try and read, I'll space it out, but that'll look kinda wierd too becuase of this wierd double space thingy!

CH: 5

The smooth metallic sliding sound her rapier made as she slid it into her sheath calmed Anna's nerves. It's familiar weight on her left side acted like a security blanket, her constant friend. Her heels clicked sharply on the tiled floor of the palace hallway, which echoed creepily around on the smooth polished stone walls. She stopped in a pool of moonlight and looked up at the full orb in the sky, offering a silent prayer to God, let me prove myself...please let me make them proud of me...

"Anna!" Her mother's tone was sharp and Anna turned quickly. There Vanessa was standing with her hands on her hips. "What are you wearing?" Anna looked down at her clothes, slightly puzzled. She was wearing a black fencing shirt, a small red jacked, black leather gloves, comfortable riding pants, and black boots with fur lining.

"Uh...fighting clothes." Anna shrugged.  
"Why are you...oh yes..." Vanessa looked up at the full moon and her eyes glinted nervously. "Are you sure your ready for this?"

"Yes!" Anna eagerly responded.  
"No your not." Vanessa muttered. "You have no idea what your getting yourself into. Nobody who understands what"s really going on responds that quickly."

"I am too ready." Anna insisted stubbornly,

"I've trained my whole life for this! It's my life's duty!"

"I know..." Vanessa's eyes glistened for a second as she looked on her daughter. Then she wiped them and shook her head.

"What are you bringing?" She asked in a rather clipped tone.  
"My rapier." Anna answered simply. "That's it?" Vanessa placed a hand thoughtfully on her cheek.  
"Yah. I can't wait to cut through some werewolf flesh!" Anna pumped her fist in the air and Vanessa's face darkened.  
"Anna, don't be so keen on killing another creature. Werewolves...they aren't...you'll see. I just hope when you do...you'll finally realize." Anna was about to reply when Velken appeared.

"Hey squirt." Velken ruffled Anna's ponytail. Anna rolled her eyes,  
"Stop calling me that!" She had instantly forgotten her mother's cryptic words.  
"Velken, are you ready?" Vanessa cut in before her children could start fighting. They would need each other tonight.

"Yah." Velken shrugged "I've done this before ma."

"I know." Vanessa sighed and hugged her son lightly,

"You worry me sometimes."

"It's my job." Velken grinned.  
"Alright! Ready?" Boris joined his family and smiled grimly. "This should be fun."

"Boris..." Vanessa hissed at her husband. He shook his head for a second and seemed to some back to his senses,

"Right. Everyone else is waiting for us by the front doors. Let's get going. We'll be back around three in the morning O.K?"

"Are you sure you'll be warm enough?" Vanessa began but Velken reassured her,  
"We'll be fine! By!" He and Anna followed their father to the front doors and out into the cold night. Vanessa watched them and her eyes filled with tears. Anna looked around her at the snowy forest. The moon shone on the bare trees, bleaching their bark white. The snow shimmered under her feet, and even though it was the dead of winter, the woods radiated with life. Every tree seemed to be moving in some invisible breeze, she felt like they would bend down and let the shadows swallow her whole.  
"Eerie huh squirt?" Velken asked her with a dangerous grin.

"Yah." Anna whispered. She really wasn't frightened, but the intimidating woods seemed to demand her respect.

"Sh." Boris sharply ordered his children and bent down to examine a track in the snow. It was one of four, widely spaced, it looked like a large paw with gigantic claws attached. The creature who had made the track was so heavy that it had fallen through the thick layer of snow and left it's tracks in the dirt.

"The tracks are fresh sir." One of Her father's guard reported. There was only one of them on the hunt.

"I can see that." Boris snapped. "It's heading this way, you, stay here and attack if it comes back this way." Boris ordered his guard and crept left and off the path they had been on. Velken was the first to follow Anna was next, not willing to show fear, but on the inside... "Anna, Velken, let me go in first, then you lead and attack to the monster's rear." Boris ordered. They were hiding behind what used to be a thick bush, but was now a tight bundle of sticks sticking out of the ground. The werewolf would know they were there very soon. Luckily however the wind was blowing towards them. Velken nodded and Anna gripped the handle of her sword so hard her hand hurt, even through her gloves. Fear means weakness._ I am not weak_. She hissed in her mind. But her racing pulse told her otherwise.

"If you don't want to go in..." Velken looked at her for a second, but she shook her head stubborn yet again. "Good." They saw their father go in and heard a vicious snarl, their father's war cry rang out and a second later blood splattered all over the dead bush, Velken jumped up and ran to aid his father, who was clutching his face and screaming in pain. Anna ran to her father's side,  
"Goddamn it Anna! Get to monster." Boris shouted at his daughter. Anna snapped her mouth shut and obediently turned to face the creature. She was not ready for what she saw next. The werewolf was huge and a brownish/gray, it's claws glinted in the moonlight and were covered in crimson blood. It's teeth were yellow and jagged, stained from years of man eating. Anna's body went into shock and her body refused to work, the werewolf seemed to smiled and went in for her throat.

Just in time Velken hacked at the monster's foreleg and it fell off, wriggling into the snow. Anna caught her breath and realized what danger she was in is she didn't start moving. With great force she made her body move, circling halfway around her opponent she moved with lightning speed and embedded her sword in its side. Screaming in pain the werewolf turned to attack her, but Velken ran his blade across it's muzzle, blood bubbled up from the wound like a spring. Anna took her chance and embedded her rapier in it's chest. Smiling Anna pulled the weapon out and stood back, but the monster only howled in pain and bowled her over into a tree.

"What the..." Anna gasped in pain.  
"Idiot!" Velken said sharply. "Only silver to the heart can kill a werewolf!"

"You could have told me that before!" Anna was getting impatient. This was going to end now. She moved as the werewolf took another swipe at her, instantly splintering the tree. Anna knew of only one thing made of silver on her person at the moment. "Distract it."Anna ordered taking off her boot.

"Are you mad? What are you going to do, kill it with fashion?" Velken said incredulously, but for once did as he was told. He moved into a sequence of perfectly timed attacks that kept the creature at bay. Her father had given her these boots at Christmas, the tips of the heels were silver.  
"_So when you ride you won't need to bother with spurs_." Her father had proudly announced. When it was off she ran directly at the werewolf, slamming herself into it's chest.

The creature froze in shock for a second, then howled in pain falling backwards. Anna felt blood cover her hand holding her boot, that was embedded into the sword wound she had inflicted earlier. The werewolf looked down and desperately snapped at her, but she jumped backwards and fell into a snow bank. Velken covered for her, catching the werewolf's jaws on his sword. It snapped down and shattered the prince's weapon, but it was too late. The werewolf collapsed backwards and began to shudder uncontrollably. Anna watched the creature in it's death throws and was torn between pity and pride.

Pity won out when she saw the monster's true form. The hairy flesh melted away and there was a man laying in the snow with Anna's boot sticking out of his bloody and scarred chest. Anna felt every part of her body go cold. She had never been told what a werewolf truly was.  
"I-I killed him." Anna shuddered.  
"You certainly did. Good job." Boris laid a hand on his daughter's shoulder. The other one covered the gash across his face. The moment was bittersweet. Anna had waited so long to hear those words from her father, but at the expense of this...

"I killed a man." Anna's voice was hollow. So this is what mom meant.

"No, you killed a monster. Trash. Scum. Nothing more." Boris said coldly walked up and kicked the limp body. Velken nodded and Anna winced. "Let's get going you two. Your mother's going to have to have a look at this." He motioned to the gouge in his face wearily.

Boris and Velken left the clearing quickly, but Anna stayed behind. She tentatively walked up and gazed into the face of her victim. He was an older man, about forty. His hair was brown and graying, and his face even in death, looked anguished. His eyes were dark brown, like her father's. This was a man, not a monster, not a creature of fear. A man. And Anna had killed him. She knelt down in the snow and closed his shocked and gazing eyes. Making a cross she silently prayed, _please God, welcome his soul...and forgive mine_.  
"Squirt!" Velken called to her from beyond the clearing. Anna got up and slid her boot out of its bloody sheath.

"We shall see each other again." She whispered to the corpse, then ran off to join her brother and father.

Okie dokie, sorry for the odd spacing! I hope it's easier to read!


	7. Between Worlds

**Disclaimer: I don't own Van Helsing...obviously.  
Wow I'm really bad at updating! SRY**! Please bear with me, I fixed the whole sumbol thingy (I don't even know how that happened!) but the font is stuck this way. I know how to prevent it in furthur chapters, but this one is stuck this way. I tried to space it out a bit more to make it easier to read. Once again I'm sorry for the font! 

CH6:  
"Are you O.K Anna?" Celeste asked pulling on Anna's sleeve. Anna looked down on her little sister and felt the familiar pang of guilt as she saw the white bandaged wrapped around the child's head. "Yah. I'm fine." She fake grinned and picked up her sister, continuing to gaze out her window at the people below.

It was a week after her first hunt and she still felt ashamed. The Sunday she had gone to church she had burned with guilt as she felt Jesus' eyes gazing calmly down at her from his stained glass window. He had wanted everyone to respect each other, and even to love their enemies. She had brutally killed hers. "Anna."A soft comforting voice filled her room and she looked us to see her mother's understanding green eyes. "Celeste, why don't you go and bug Velken. He'll be in the library looking over the maps as usual." Celeste nodded obediently and left the room giggling. Vanessa took a seat next to Anna near the window. "Need to talk?" Anna nodded and opened her mouth,  
"I killed a werewolf on the hunt." She began. "And as he died he, he changed." Anna wrapped her arms around her mother. Vanessa hugged her young daughter close. "It was a man. A human man. He could have been a father, or a brother, or an uncle, he had a family!" Anna let her anguished tears flow and Vanessa patted her head,  
"Anna, what is done is done. He would have killed many more people if you had not released him from his torment. Sometimes death is the only option. Your family...our family is cursed to forever live between worlds. The live and the dead, light and the dark. But when it really comes down to it, there is no division. Sometimes the only way to really live is to die,and sometimes one must walk in the dark to maintain the light. We are all one."

"I feel so weak. I shouldn't be crying!" Anna felt a stab of anger at herself. At her weakness.

"You're not weak Anna." Vanessa looked sharply at her daughter, and then her gaze softened. "Anna, you are one of the strongest people I know. You allow yourself to feel remorse. Your heart is not cold, it is warm and full of love and compassion. Never let that light die. Only a weak person completely shuts out all emotion. And only a strong person can cry." Anna nodded her head and got up, drying her tears.

"Why doesn't Dad cry?" Anna asked quietly.  
"He lost his light many years ago Anna." Vanessa let out a shuddering breath. "The pain he felt,feels, about his family's fate is more than he can bear alone. But he chooses to take the all burden and continue on. He won't share his pain." Vanessa smiled weakly and kissed Anna on her forehead. "Don't ever loose your light Anna." Then she left the room. Anna fell onto her bed and thought about her father quietly. He was two men in one, a king and a father. Feeling a sudden urge to see him she got and headed for the training room. She found him there, practicing new techniques. He had to for, he had lost and eye in the hunt.

"Hi dad." She said attempting to be bright. She averted her eyes however, it was so hard to look at her father now.

"Hey Anna." He smiled warmly at her and threw her a rapier. "Want to test me?"

Anna smiled and nodded. He was still her same old father, still looking to improve. Catching the rapier expertly she twirled it for a second, getting accustomed to the weight. Then without warning she attacked, he countered expertly, continually moving his body so his blind side would never be exploited. Bobbing and weaving he pulled back and made his way to Anna's right side where he cut down fiercely. Anna barely blocked. Her father's style had changed greatly. He used to stay in one place and solidly defend, never braking his stance. Now, he moved agilely, and Anna couldn't get her rapier in edgewise. Boris managed to fling Anna's weapon away from her and placed his weapon on her shoulder,

"Dead."

"How did you...where did you learn that?" Anna asked, mouth gaping.

"I taught myself." Boris answered simply. "I needed to change my style."

"Can you..."

"Teach you? Of coarse Anna, I was hoping you'd ask." Boris smiled and ruffled her hair. After a few hours of sparring with her father Anna felt completely rejuvenated, and the melting snow and warm gusts of air hinted at spring. She stopped in the hallway she was walking in and looked out the window at the setting Transylvanian sky. The crimson light pouring in through the windows stained her usually pale face and warmed her skin after months of cold.

"Enjoying the sun?" Vanessa asked with laughter in her voice as she came up to her daughter. Celeste was with her and danced around Anna happily,  
"I can whistle!" She giggled. Anna smiled at her little sister and picked her up.  
"Show me!" Anna hugged Celeste ad the little girl began to whistle. The clear sound filled the hall and rang off the walls.

"Excellent!"

"Mommy taught me!" Celeste announced proudly. Anna swung Celeste around and placed her on the ground again.  
"Go show Daddy." Anna suggested. Celeste nodded excitedly and ran off to find her father. Vanessa joined her daughter at the window,  
"I remember that when you were that young."

"I thought I learned to snap before whistling." Anna leaned out the window slightly.

"Yes you did, and you wouldn't stop! All day and night snap, snap, snap!" Vanessa laughed and demonstrated.

Anna rolled her eyes and looked at her mother, Vanessa's onyx hair was down and flowed over her shoulders like waves and her skin was also stained blood red by the setting sun. Anna imagined herself at her mother's age, confident, calm, and collected. She couldn't wait.

"SQUIRT!" Velken ran up and swung Anna around and crouched behind her.

"VELKEN!" A female voice screamed from down the hall.

"Velken?!?" Vanessa's tone was suddenly strict and angry. "What did you..."

"Just hide me!" Velken crouched lower to the ground. Anna moved in to cover him and Vanessa fanned her skirts out.

"Where are you, Velken you...Oh...your majesties." A girl around Velken's age curtsied when she saw Vanessa and Anna. She was Julia the daughter of one of Boris's closest friends and right hand man. "Have you seen Velken?" She smiled, but her eyes showed how pissed off she was.  
"Oh, that way." Vanessa motioned vaguely to the right, "What has he done this time?" Julia's face turned redder than the sky and Vanessa nodded knowingly. "Ah."(A/N: Hint Hint. Guess what they did and guess who's pissed about it now. Himt Hint. I'm only doign this cuz Lostsoul99 had a hard time figurin it out.) Julia ran off in the direction Vanessa had motioned. Once she was gone Velken got up,  
"Thanks squirt, mom...OW!" Vanessa roughly smacked him upside the head.  
"VELKEN VLADIMIR VALERIOUS! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!?!?!" Vanessa shrieked at him, smacking him again. Anna's mouth snapped closed in shock. She had NEVER heard her mother swear before.  
"I really wasn't..." Velken said meekly as Vanessa vented her fury on him.  
"What did he do?" Anna asked, completely clueless. Velken held back a laugh and Vanessa clopped him over the head again.

"What's going on?" Boris walked up holding a confused looking Celeste. Vanessa glared at Velken one more time then turned to Boris,  
"Velken is in big trouble with young Julia. Three guesses why."

"Good choice Vel..." Boris began but Vanessa drew herself up to her full height and nearly burned her husband with her eyes, "urm...Velken! What is the matter with you?!?!"

Anna decided to leave the screaming behind and took Celeste upstairs. Celeste danced around on the carpeted halls and posed in the mirror, not at all put off by the fighting downstairs. Anna watched her little sister protectively. Another image of Celeste lying unconscious and bloody on the ground flashed through her mind. She clenched her fist on the spot where the hilt of her cutlass usually was, making a silent vow to never let anything hurt her sister again.

**Hola! Infinityrose here! I just wanted to add this cuz it's so true**!

Never Argue with a Woman...

One morning the husband returns after several hours of fishing and decides to take a nap. Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out. She motors out a short distance, anchors, and reads her book. Along comes a Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside the woman and says, "Good morning, Ma'am. What are you doing?" "Reading a book," she replies, (thinking, Isn't that obvious?) "You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her. "I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm reading." "Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment. "I'll have to take you in and write you up." "If you do that, I'll have to charge you with sexual assault," says the woman. "But I haven't even touched you," says the game warden. "That's true, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment." "Have a nice day ma'am," and he left.

MORAL: _**Never **_argue with a woman who reads. It's likely she can also think. Send this to four women who are thinkers. If you receive this, you know you're intelligent.

I did not come up with this and whoever did U ROCK!!!


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